Reversing mechanism.



C. H. NORTON. REVERSING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men MAY 2. ten.

1 ,26 1,]. 58 Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

imamrections,

CHARLES H. non'ron, or wononsrnn, AssAcnUsnrrs; ASSIGNOR TO neuron; GRINDING COMPANY, or WORCESTER, mAssacnusn'r'rsA CORPORATION or a MASSACHUSETTS.

REVERSING MECHANISM To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing 'at' lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Reversing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. v I

This invention relates to a reversing mech-& anism of the type shown in my prior Patent N 0. 1,191,987 issued to me July 25, 1916.

In this type of mechanism, which is particularly designed for reversing a worm and worm wheel drive, thereis provided adriiring shaft alternately rotated in opposite 'dia worm axially and angularly movable on said shaft, a worm Wheel meshing with said worm, and driving connections between the shaft and the Worm effective to move the worm axially on the driving shaft after each reversal of rotation of said shaft, and at the same time to permit limited relative angular movement between said shaft and Worm. c

In my prior patent this angular movement was limited by the abrupt contact of the roller with a projection on the cam. Thus the inertia of the worm was overcome instantly, resulting in objectionable noise.

It is the principal object of my present invention to provide cushioned connections between the wormand its driving shaft, said connections being brought into operative relation as the worm completes its axial movement in either direction. These connections are partiallysubmerged in oil and the cushioning effect results from trapping a portion of theoil between the approaching surfaces of a conical clutch forming a part of said connections, and then forcing the oil out gradually through one or more escape openmgs of suitable size. The oil is forced out by the axial movement of the worm, caused b the action of one of the cam rolls upon tli e corresponding side cam. While I prefer to use conical surfaces, I do not wish to be limited to this form as I may use any two surfaces between which oil may be trapp ed and in connection with which escape means can be provided to bring about the desired cushioning effect.

In the o eration of themechanism a lar e amount 0 oil is splashed up between t e two members of the clutch, thus allowing Application flledMay 21,1917)" Serial no. isaessy gradual cushioning shift the worm axially, and

'both axially and singularly thereon.

Specification of Letters Patent v tPat e ntQdl Apr,

sufiicient oilwto be trapped to cause afvery 7 effect." 'The degree of cus'hioninghfi'eot can be permanently-e61 justed as desired by drilling one-ormore oil escape holes of such, size as conditioners 'quire.

Another objeot'of'my invention is to "provide a novel oiling deviceby means'of which the worm is sprayed with a jet reversal of .thedriving shaft- My invention also" relates to certain a1- ofoil at each rangements and combinations of partswhich will be" hereinafter described and more partic ularlypointed out in the; appended claims. A" preferred form of my inventionis shown in the drawings, in which-1 Figure 1 is a sectional elevation taken substantially shaft;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the cams which Fig. 3 1s a .developmentof one of the cams.

along the axis of the driving The work table is indicated at 10 and is 7 provided with a rack 11 meshing withf'a pinion 12 fix'ed to a shaft '13-dri-ven bya worm wheel 14. The worm wheel 14 meshes with a worm 15 mounted upon a driving shaft 16 supported in 18. One or both of these bearings may be of a ball-bearing type designed to resist axial thrust on the driving shaft.

The shaft'16 is connected to suitable driving mechanism. it is positively rotated alternately in opposite directions, the reversal of motion bein erably automatic. The worm 15 is oosely mounted upon the shaft 16 and is free to move Side cams 20 and 21 are rigidly secured to the worm 15 at each end thereof, being fastened thereto in any convenient manner as by rivets 22. The outline of the cam surface of one ofthese membersis clearly shownin the devclopmentthereof in Fig. 3. While the precise outline sho'wn in thedrawiri is not cssentialtofmy invention, it is pre erable thatthe angle of the cam surface should gradually increase, plained. I Q i Driving arms; 23 andl24flare fixed to the shaft 16 and support cam rolls 25 and 26, herein shown asmounted'upon anti-friction bearings. The'arms 23 and 24 are so spaced fixed bearings 17 and:

(not shown) through which .preftions through" the action are substantially in engagement with the cams 20 and 21 at all times.

The arts thus far described are substantially t 1e same as those shown in my prior patent, to which reference is made for a more complete description thereof.

In my prior construction, the driving connection between the worm and the shaft 16 was entirely through the cams-and cam rolls above described. As above stated, it is the principal object of my present invention to provide supplementary cushioning connecof which the inertia of the wprn may be gradually overcome and the. metallic noise caused by abrupt engageinent of the roll and cam may beeliminated.

, it gradually accelerating motion.

angular motion.

In the form shown in the drawings the cams .20 and 2l are provided with concave conical surfaces 30'anil31 adapted to engage cooperating convex members 32 and 33 formed on the driving arms 23 and 24. I

.also provide each cam 20 "and 2.1 with oil holes 35 extending through the web thereof.

The operation of my improved reversing mechanism is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the driving shaft 16 rotatin in the direction of the arrow (1- in said hgure. The worm 15 will be rotated in the same direction throu h the combined driving engagement of t e clutch members 30 and 32 and the cam 21 and cam roll 26, the cam roll tending constantly to force the clutch members into closer engagement. If the shaft 16 is now reversed the roll 26 will move backward relatively to the cam 21 and will no longer have driving connection therewith. At the same time the roll 25 will move forward along the incline of the cam worm 15 axially along the shaft 16 with At this the worm will be without As'tlie worm wheel 14 is thus moved with gradually increasing velocity by the axial movement of the Worm 15, the clutch member 31 gradually approaches the clutch member 33. As the worm wheel 14 attains substantially its nor-' mal speed of revolution the members 31 and 33 are adjacent each other and the roll 25 tends constantly to force them into closer engagement. Their approach is controlled by the escape of ()llfl'Olll between the conical surfaces, the rate of escape being determined by the size and number of the oil holes. After said surfaces are fully entime, however,

gaged, the worm revolves with the shaft un- .20, forcing the The apparatus is designed to run in oil and inspection of the drawings will :show that a considerable quantity of oil will be trapped between the clutch members at each reversal of the driving shaft. As the clutch tions can be made therein by those skille $0 in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the clainisfl and I, do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what'I i 1 1. A reversing mechanism having, in com:

claim isbinatioii, a driving shaft, rotatable alternately in opposite directions, a worm mounted on said shaft and IIlOVablGbOth angularly and axially relatively to said shaft, a worm wheel meshing with said worm. means to move said worm bodily endwise upon reversal of said shaft thereby imparting a movement of rotation in the re- All parts of the apparatus are 75 verse direction to said worm wheel and to I thereafter positively rotate.. said worm-with said shaft, and cushioning Iconnections be tween said shaft and said worm. 2. A reversing mechanism having, in combination, nately in opposite directions, a worm mounted on said shaft and movable both angularly and axially relatively to said'shaft, a worm wheel meshing with said worm, meansto move said worm versal of said shaft thereby imparting a movement of rotation in the reverse direction to said worm wheel and to thereafter positively rotate said worm with said shaft,

and two sepa ate sets of cushioning connections between said shaft and said worm,.one

set of said connections becoming operative after each reversal of the driving shaft.'

.3. A reversing mechanism having, in coma driving shaft, rotatable alterbodily endwise upon rebination, a driving shaft, rotatable alternately in opposite directions, a worm mounted on said shaft and movable both angularly and axially relatively to said shaft, a worm wheel meshing with said worm,means tion to said worm wheel, aiidmeans to therea after positively rotate said worm, said ,to move said worm bodily endwise upon remeans including cushioning clutch members,

one of said members being fast with said shaft and the other member having driving connection with said worm.

4. A reversing mechanism having, in com:

bination, a driving shaft, rotatable alternately in opposite directions, a Worm mounted on said shaft and movable both angularly and axially relatively to said shaft, a Worm said-Worm, cooperating clutch members fast with said shaft and spaced apart thereon, and means to move said Worm axially and angularly relatively to said shaft to "alternately engage the clutch members atopposite ends of said worm.

reversing mechanism having, in combination, a driving, shaft, rotatable alternately in opposite directions, a Worm mountcd on said. shaft and movable both angularly and axially relatively to said shaffialSQIIXl Wheel meshing was said worm, and driving v connections "between said shaft, and said Worm, said connections eempri inga cushioning cone clutch member fine to each end of said worm, cooperating cone clutch memlo rs fast to the shaft and spaced apart thereon, and means to move saidvvorm axially at each reversal. ofsaid shaft to alternately render the cushioning clutch members operative at opposite ends of said Worm.

6, A reversing mechanism having, in comhination, a driving shaft, rotatable alter nately in opposite directions, a Worm mount- ,ed on said shaft-and movable both angularly and axially relatively to said shaft, a Worm Wheel meshing with said Worm, and driving connections between said shaft and said Worm effective to rotate said Worm heel by direct axial movement of said ivorm at the beginning of each reverse, movement of said Worm Wheel and to thereafter continue said rotation in the same direetion by positive rotation of said Worm, said connections including coiiperating cushioning clutch members fast to said worm and shaft respectively and brought into successive operative engagement by the alternate axial movements of said Worm relatively to said shaft.

717A reversing mechanism having, in combination, a driving shaft, rotatable alternately in opposite directions, aworm mounted on said shaft and movable both angularly and axially relatively to said shaft, a worm Wheel meshing .With said worm, and driving connections between said shaft and said Worm, said connections comprising reversely disposed cam disks secured to the opposite ends of said Worm, a pair of driving arms fixed to said shaft and each positioned to cooperate with one of said cam disks for moving said Worm axially, and cushioning members secured to said disks and said driving arms respectively, said clutch memberscooperating with said cam. disks and driving arms to positively" connect said -worm with said shaft.

8. A reversingineehanism having, in combination, a driving shaft, rotatable alternately in opposite directions, a worm mounted on said shaftand movable both angularly and axially relatively to said soaft, Worm Wheel meshing with said Worm, and driving connections between said shaft and said worm, said eoiineotions comprising a concave cone clutch member fixed to each end of said Worm and having an oil hole therein, cot iperating convex cone clutch members-fixed to said shaft and spaced apart thereon, and means to move said worm axially to alternately engage said clutch members, each convex clutch member acting as a piston to force oil through the oil hole in its coiiperating concave member onto the threaded surface of said worm. A

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature CHARLES H. NORTON 

